SUBJECT: TS24
by Out-of-Character217
Summary: Cloud is recruited to help Organization XIII retrieve their rouge targets. He is more than willing to take the job until he comes face to face with the test subject himself. Gradual CLC. Yaoi goodness, smut and language.


**A/N****.** Hey all, I'm back! Man it's been a busy year. I got me self married and everything! So here we have a little something that I'm contemplating. I got the idea after reading the amazing Gunmetal by Zeff N Company. I loved that story and couldn't believe it when I got to the end and was like nooooo where the rest of it? So Zeff, if you're reading this, PLEASE FINISH IT!

There is even a little tribute to the story in here somewhere. Cookies for whoever spots it.

Soooo if any of you are reading this and you're like _"This__ sounds __familiar__"_ don't whatever you do come to me and say "Hey this story sounds familiar." Cos you'll get a slap!

I've tried a different approach with this story by writing the dialog first and then adding in the prose after. I'm a little unsure as to how it's turned out so if you have any comments please let me know. I'm feeling maybe it needs fleshing out a bit? I'm also in the business of looking for a beta for this story if anyone is up to the job? Inbox me if y'are!

As always, comments are like candy covered heroine sticks to me (very moreish.) So please R/R.

**Disclaimer**: Not mine, didn't happen, never will. All characters belong to Square Enix. Even the plot is only half mine!

**Full Summery**

Cloud is a mercenary. For those who know where to find him, he will accept any job; for the right price.

Leon has been nothing more than an experiment all his life. A test subject held to the whims of a scientific madman who believes he can create the perfect fighting machine.

Organization XIII; The all-powerful government force that will stop at nothing to retrieve their rogue scientist and his most dangerous creation.

Cloud is recruited to help Organization XIII retrieve their targets. He is more than willing to take the job until he comes face to face with the test subject himself.

Leon is far from perfect. The darkness that swirls in him to give him his strength is slowly tearing him apart, and as he fights against his nurtured violence to become human, his decay only unravels faster.

**Prologue.**

"Mr Strife, I'm glad you could join us."

The door to Xemnas' office closed softly behind Cloud as he stepped into the sparse room. Taking a quick scan of his surroundings, Cloud could see no immediate danger. Only a desk, some bookshelves and Xemnas himself occupied the room, plus an extra chair which Cloud sat himself down in without being invited to. He looked at the shrewd man across from him and tried his best to read his thoughts. Although Cloud knew there was only one reason The Organization could have possibly sought him out. They had a job for him.

"I have to admit that I'm surprised that you came looking for me." He let his words carry across in the quiet room. "The Organisation can't handle their own dirty business anymore?" He didn't worry about letting this man know how much he detested him and his 'Company'.

"Charming, as always Mr Strife but no." Xemnas clicked a few times at his computer before he turned his full attention to the man sitting across his expansive desk. "We have an incident that needs clearing up with as much discretion as possible." Xemnas let the room go quiet.

"You are a man of discretion are you not Mr Strife?"

"It's my middle name." Cloud answered dryly. He was trying hard to understand why he was needed here at all. "What's the problem? Why not just send in your trained monkeys?"

Xemnas struggled to raise a smile at Cloud's plainly offered sarcasm before he turned his attention to a manila folder that sat in front of him, The Organization's logo printed neatly on the front.

"This Organisation exists because of rules, because we abide by them and uphold them. The public trusts us and we would never do anything to undermine that trust." Xemnas refused to acknowledge the scoff that came from the Blond man.

"You however are not part of this Organization. You are outside the rules. You may undermine them as much as you'd like. You are a loophole in this system that we fully intend to exploit. Are you willing to join us?"

"What's in it for me?"

"Ah yes, money. It's what it always comes down to with you types Isn't it?" Xemnas knew he was allowing a smirk of revulsion to crawl across his lips as he said those words but he refused to care. Strife was a dying breed, but while he was still alive _'and still useful'_ Xemnas thought, he could still be played.

"I'm not in this for shits and giggles you know. I wanna know everything_ before_ I decide whether or not to join you." Cloud may have been reckless with his own life on a few occasions, but he wasn't stupid. If he was going to do a job for The Organization then it was more than important he knew exactly what he was getting himself into before he signed anything.

"I'm afraid that's impossible Mr Strife. This mission is of the upmost importance and must remain secret until you have agreed to join us. I cannot have you walking out of here with this kind of information without knowing you are answerable to us." Xemnas retracted the folder just a little, his eyes steely and determined. Cloud knew he wouldn't win this one. "I'll admit this much though Mr Strife, we cannot do this without you. Am I making myself clear enough to you?"

Cloud's interest was almost uncontrollable now. Xemnas had played his cards well, but Cloud was no fool.

"I'm assuming this mission is dangerous, and that there is a significant risk to my life?" Cloud leaned back in his chair, his arms folded over his chest and eyebrows raised as if the obvious risk to his life was going to concern a man like Xemnas in any way.

"Would you have it any other way Mr Strife?" Xemnas countered.

"So you're asking me to trust you?"

"It would seem that way, wouldn't it?"

Cloud let the barest hints of interest show in his face before he leaned forward beckoning Xemnas to do the same, his hand waving him over as if to share some secret.

"Tell me," he asked, his voice low and his face twisted in an expression like he almost care about Xemnas' answer. "What kind of a fucking idiot do you take me for?" He all but whispered; making sure that Xemnas knew dammed well that his offer was worth shit to him.

"One of the highest order I assure you Mr Strife." Xemnas cut back in a sarcastic whisper, not moving one single inch and loving the way his insult transformed Cloud's glib features into anger.

"But my offer remains the same. I cannot divulge any information regarding this mission until you have signed this contract. If it helps you may_ sneak a peek _at your compensation." Xemnas said the last words as if it left some horrible taste in his mouth leaving no doubt in Cloud's mind just what he thought of Cloud's line of work. Xemnas retrieved a slip of paper from his desk draw and slid it across the table to sit in front of Cloud who picked it up with indignant reluctance.

"This Organisation would be remiss if we did not convey our appreciation for your complete disregard for personal safety and gratuitous use of force, all in the name of getting the job done. I believe 60.000 munnies is an appropriate display of gratitude?"

"It's a good start." Cloud replied darkly, throwing the piece of paper back at the desk.

"Do we have your allegiance then Mr Strife?"

Cloud considered his options only for the briefest moments, knowing full well that he would accept. Besides needing the money, he was more than interested to find out what was so important and secret that it required his complete capitulation before a contract was signed.

"Sure, count me in."

Xemnas didn't even bother to hide his smug smile.

"Very good. Briefing will begin when you are ready. Axel will show you the way. Don't let my utter contempt for your very existence stop you from shutting the door on your way out." At his words the door opened again and remained open, an obvious indication that this meeting was well and truly over.

"A pleasure as always Xemnas." Cloud retorted before picking up the contract signing it and throwing it back. He followed Axel out of the room.

"How much of the existence of Organization XIII's science programme are you aware of?" Xigbar asked as he threw down yet another folder after entering the briefing room in a gust of black robes. Cloud assumed that the folder was for him and reached out for it, sliding it close but unopened in front of him.

"Didn't know the Organization had the munnies for a science programme." He replied sitting well back in his chair and balancing his right foot across his left knee.

"It was formed under top secret orders to research the possibilities of chemical enhancements in agents." The lights went down and the blinds were shut as somewhere at the back Axel clicked on a projector. An image of The Organization's logo flicking onto the screen behind Xigbar.

"Chemical enhancements?" Cloud asked, sceptical and interested all at the same time.

"A particular chemical compound known as DKM13. Or more commonly known: Dark-Mineral 13."

The projector clicked again and an image of a military base flicked onto the screen. Above the image was a heading that read _**HOLDING**__** 17- RESEARCH LAB DKM13.**_

"Sounds delightful. What's it supposed to do?"

"To make us better fighters. Stronger, faster, more agile than any human has a right to be." The projector was clicking again and more images of _**HOLDING 17**_ were shown from different angles, showing security gates, main buildings and outhouses.

"In its infancy the programme seemed to be going nowhere fast. The test compounds were unstable and fell apart within hours of creation. But with a few more months of trying and a generous grant from the government we were able to employ a brilliant scientist by the name of Hojo. He was the catalyst that turned it all around. He was able to create a secure compound that was stable enough for tests on humans."

A security picture of a man Cloud guessed to be the Professor Hojo flicked onto the screen, his weasely thin face seeming to bore down onto the whole room.

"Who would be crazy enough to volunteer for that job?" Cloud asked, unable to take his eyes off of the unpleasant picture.

"We sourced test subjects from an area of society that would be the least suspicious. We gathered together a group of orphans and sent them to the lab for Hojo to experiment on, with pleasing results."

At last Cloud's eyes slid from the image of Hojo and turned to Xigbar, his disbelief evident on his face. Cloud slowly sat up as he realised that Xigbar was not joking and the full horror of what he was saying settled in Cloud's stomach like a heavy stone.

"You experimented on children?"

"Tests proved inconclusive on animals and plants. We had to have a reliable and controllable test subject. This was the Organizations answer."

Cloud barely had time to register that what he felt was revulsion before he decided that at this moment in time he had no use for it and turned to anger instead. His next words were chosen carefully.

"How long has this been going on?"

"The science programme was founded some twenty years ago." Xigbar replied as the projector clicked to another slide of rows upon rows of headshots of small children, no older than five years each. Everyone one of them looked bewildered and afraid.

"So what happened to all those children, they must be adults by now?"

Cloud was having a hard time controlling the contents of his stomach; once this was over he was never ever going to work for The Organization ever again. No matter how much money they offered him.

"Unfortunately due to the nature of experimental science some subjects did not make it through the test phase."

Cloud heard all of Xigbar's words, but he was having trouble just taking his eyes from the mug shots of all those helpless children. Their eyes seemed to plead with him, taunting him for his ignorance even though he was just a child himself when these poor kids were taken. Cloud tried to shake himself. He may have had personal misgivings about what he was hearing, but he had a job to do. He tried to focus.

"Most perished as they approached puberty. We think it may have impacted on the DKM13 affiliating itself with growing and changing cells. The body's DNA makeup became unstable and began to disintegrate, destroying the compound and the subject."

Xigbar's description seemed so clinical so scientific. Like these _Subjects_ were never children to him at all. Cloud didn't even want to think of what he meant by _disintegrate_.

"The Organization doesn't sound like it's expressed a lot of sympathy over the loss of these _subjects_." Cloud sneered, finally able to take his eyes away from the screen and redirect his disgust at the man in front of him.

"On the contrary, we were most displeased to have worked so hard for so little in return. The very nature of these experiments meant that our displeasure was to be kept secret." It was almost like Xigbar had no remorse what so ever. Maybe he didn't. Cloud didn't want to think about that.

"I mean you don't sound very upset about the fact that you experimented and ultimately killed Hyne knows how many children." He tried again, fighting to keep his voice low and his tone level.

"This research was vital for the improvement of the Organization and ultimately the safety and protection of the people. Regardless of our personal feelings it was a company failure that was hard to bear." Xigbar replied, his own voice clipped and efficient.

"My heart bleeds for you."

"You may feel as you wish about what goes on behind these walls, but the people must make sacrifices if the people are to be protected."

So it was true. Xigbar felt no remorse?

"You said most perished as they reached puberty; does this mean some survived?" Cloud lowered his eyes to the table unable to keep staring at the screen with so many seemingly imploring faces staring back at him.

"Indeed, only two out of the thirty five children we acquired survived all the way into adulthood. It seems out of the ashes of failure Professor Hojo was able to create a Phoenix of sorts. Out of the two that survived one in particular showed real promise. He was known to us as TS24."

"_Was_ known to you?" Cloud looked up again as he heard the projector click onwards and was met with an image of a boy about 17 years old, his face ashen and white, eyes a steely gunmetal grey. He had a scar slicing diagonal across the bridge of his nose. Overall the face was a hard and unforgiving one, and it made Cloud shudder to think of the cause of this boy's outward demeanour.

"You catch on quick: four months ago, Professor Hojo absconded from our facility with this test subject." Xigbar pointed over his shoulder at the image of the boy, Cloud could see in the top left hand corner of the slide a heading that read _**TS24 AGE: 16.**_

"All files and information regarding his involvement with the experiments, all file notes and recorded results were taken with him also."

"Why would he do that?" Cloud asked as he continued to stare into the image on the screen, his eyes taking in every detail of this boy's face.

"We believe that Professor Hojo intends to take his experiment a step further. In his research here he has managed to create a test subject that could contain the chemical enhancements and use them to become a warrior of unparalleled strength, speed and agility. The Organization would have been happy to stop there, but we believe that Hojo wished to expand this technology, for what purpose or gain we are unclear." The Projector clicked off, but Cloud still continued to stare at the space where the picture of TS24 had been.

"It is worth mentioning at this point that this picture of TS24 is out dated. It was taken almost nine years ago. It seems Hojo saw fit to take with him nearly everything regarding this subject. All the information we have in that folder is as out of date as this picture. Unfortunately it is all we have to go on." Xigbar said nodding his head at the folder under Clouds resting palm.

"Your mission is to retrieve TS24 and Professor Hojo and bring them back under Organization XIII's control."

"Is that all?"

"Sarcasm will get your head blown off Strife; you don't seem to understand the repercussions of what could happen if Hojo unleashed this subject. He is an unparalleled fighter; we don't even know the full extent of his capabilities yet." Xigbar's face had not changed by one muscle twitch yet somehow he had become even more serious.

"Then why call me in if you don't think he can be beaten?" Cloud asked as he finally flipped the folder open and was greeted with the same picture that had been on the projector screen not moments before.

"We are unable to commit an act of war or aggression on home soil without the Government's direct orders." Xigbar moved around from the front of the room and came to sit on the table just beside Cloud, his presence a looming distraction as Cloud leafed through the information in the folder.

"As it stands, the Government does not know about Hojo's disappearance or the loss of TS24. We would prefer it to stay that way. You also have weapons and techniques that are unauthorised by this Government and so we are banned from using. You on the other hand are free to do as you please."

"Anything I want huh?" Cloud mused as he picked up a picture of Hojo. His own piercing blue eyes boring into the eyes of the rat like man staring back at him.

"You are free to use any tactic, any weapon and any force necessary to bring Hojo and TS24 back to this compound. Alive."

"Do you have any intelligence on where this Hojo is or do I have to do all your jobs for you?"

Cloud could tell that Xigbar was trying his best to ignore his overly terse tone, and had it not been for Cloud's controlled and schooled features he would have smiled a bit at that.

"In that folder you will find a briefing of Hojo's last known whereabouts. A man of _your_ intelligence shouldn't find it hard to track him down." Xigbar retorted as he stood up ready to leave.

"Am I on my own on this operation or can I expect assistance?" Cloud was slipping all of the pieces of paper back into the folder; he was more than ready to get the hell out of there.

"Once you have retrieved the targets then the Organization will offer its help. I'm sure you can appreciate our need to keep under the radar on this mission!" Xigbar replied holding the door ajar.

"Yeah, sure. I understand." Cloud replied darkly as the door was shut and he was left alone in the darkened room.

**A/N **So wadda ya think?


End file.
